DANGERS OF PROSPERITY - Alfred Femi Alamu
Proverbs 1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
• 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
LAW IF EXTREMISM AND ERROR: Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
This law state that when a truth is being preach for too long, it is over emphasized beyond the core and error would set in.
- If you preach prosperity for too long without teaching the other side of the coin, you'll do more harm than good to the people you're leading.
DANGERS/ PERILS OF PROSPERITY.
1. EQUATING GAIN WITH GODLINESS. 1Tim 6:5
That people are prosperous doesn't mean God is blessing them. There's a prosperity of the wicked. Psalms 71:3.
Keep your money to yourself if you cannot explain the source.
A rich man is not necessarily a godly man.
As pastors, we need prosperity to advance the Gospel but that shouldn't be a bragging right. It is nobody's business how much your Jet, Jeep or mansion cost. We don't need to know if the suit or shoe you're wearing is made of alligator skin, and your wrist watch is imported from Pluto.
It's not a bragging right if you have 3million members, did Heaven recognized them as citizens? To whose business if they are not all going to Heaven. Psalm 37:16 Proverbs 16:17,15:17,16:8
A bigger Church isn't necessarily a better Church. Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
STOP EQUATING GAIN WITH GODLINESS! A poor man is better than a liar. Proverbs 19:22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
#2. DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES.
The money you have was given to you, you didn't attract it through the power of your mind. John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
A rich man has more networth than a poor man, he is not much valuable than a poor man. Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
When your conversation is filled with "I" or "ME" you're a rich fool.
Luke 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
#3. LOVE OF MONEY.
Understand that money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil.
Whatever money you have is not for you, you're only a steward and custodian of it.
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
If you're not serving God, you're serving mammon.
Matthew 6:24
NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Strange things happened in this world, people kill for money, they carry out rituals, they go diabolical to acquired riches, Some folks would even tell it to your face that they can do anything for money... That shows the level of love and greed they have when it comes to money. Some will even tell you, "leave God out of this, and let's talk money..." absolutely this statement is a reflection that their heart is not for God but for mammon.
You cannot serve God and mammon (money), but you can serve God with mammon (your money). Money is a tool. Money cannot save people.
But it can arrange their meeting with the Saviour.
That's one of the reason why we give offering and sacrificial seeds in church which is categorized under service to fund the Kingdom projects.
#4. FORGETTING GOD.
There must be purpose behind every prosperity. You must not leave out God in all you do.
Deuteronomy 4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
Deuteronomy 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Deuteronomy 8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
You must not leave out God in all you do. He must be at the centre of it all.
#5. ARROGANCE.
Any position you're occupying is a platform for service.
You're not superior to others.
Daniel 4:30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 4:31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 4:32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Your wealth is a tool for service not for oppression or bragging.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
#6. COMPLACENCY AND CARELESSNESS.
Amos 6:1
WOE TO THEM THAT ARE AT EASE IN ZION, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!
Your prosperity should not replace God in your life.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Abel gave himself first before giving his offering.
We don't only need your money for the work of God, we need you.
We will give ourselves.
Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
#7. TEMPTATION.
There must be a process to prosperity.
Any supernatural prosperity that foes not give attention to process is fraud.
Prosperity can open you up yo temptation. Prov 13:11, Jeremiah 17:11, Zach 5:3, Prov 3:23.
Your determination to be rich by all means would send you to hell.
Thank you.
Alfred Femi ALAMU
Pastor | Life Coach | Entrepreneur
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